Anti-jumpering device for electrical terminals



E. C. WALSH Dec. 10, 1963 ANTI-'JUMPERING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL TERMINALS Filed June 8, 1962 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,114,014 ANTI-IUMPERBNG DEVICE FOR ELECCAL TERMINALS Edward C. Walsh, 431 W. 7th St., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed June 8, 1962, Ser. No. 201,199 4 Claims. (Cl. 20i)42) as requiring knowledge of a combination in order to operate a manual actuator.

Attempts have been made in the past to provide antitamperable or theft proof arrangements for automobile ignition circuits and other circuits. Such attempts in the past have been deficient in that they did not achieve the security desired in that they simply required the use of another key or the circuit remained jumperable in spite of the use of the proofing device or attachment.

The object of this invention is to provide an attachment for existing equipment which makes the circuit positively non-jumperable and which cannot be defeated Without knowledge of a particular combination or else by actual destruction of parts of the attachment.

The attachment is in the form of an enclosure or housing which can be attached or applied over a particular terminal, especially the terminal of the automobile ignition coil. The enclosure makes the terminal non-accessi ble and has Within it a switch or set of contacts in the lead to the terminal of the ignition coil. These contacts are manually actuatable only by way of a manual actuator which is solidly enclosed and which extends through the fire wall of the automobile and which is actuatable by a combination mechanism requiring knowledge of the combination to operate.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of specific preferred mechanisms for accomplishing the foregoing results. Further, more detailed objects will become apparent from the following description and annexed drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a preferred form of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the combination mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a view like FIGURE 2 with the combination mechanism in a different position;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of the combination mechanism.

Referring to FIGURE 1, numeral illustrates by way of example the fire wall of an automobile. Numeral 12 designates the spark or ignition coil mounted on bracket 13. The ignition coil has a top terminal 14, a connection 15 to ground and a connection 16 at the bottom to the ignition switch of the circuit. The invention provides an enclosure for the terminal 14. This enclosure, in a preferred form of the invention, is in the form of a cap 20 which fits over the terminal 14. The cap 20 is part of an attachment comprising brackets 21 and 22.

Bracket 21 has a horizontal bottom part 24 which fits under the coil 20 and a hook 25 which hooks to the bottom of upright bracket 22 forming what is in effect a hinge. The bottom part 24 has a slot 27 to receive the terminal connecting to connection 16. At the upper end of upright 21 is a hook 313 which hooks into a bracket at the lower edge of the cap 20. On the other side of the bottom part of the cap 20 is an extending bracket 31 with a hole in it which fits through a slot 32 in the upper part of the upright 22. As may be seen, the attachment may be readily assembled over a spark coil of existing equipment and secured by way of a padlock 35 locked through the hole in the bracket 31.

Within the cap 20 is a switch 36 including a contact connected to a lead 37 which extends to the terminal 14. The cap 20 has an external terminal 38 which is like the terminal 14 and receives the connection 39 to the distributor which is connected to switch 36 within the cap 20.

Numeral 42 designates a steel tube connected to the cap 20 preferably by way of a disconnectable joint which can be disconnected only if the lock 35 is unlocked and the attachment disassembled. Alternatively, the tube 42 may have a flexible part adjacent the cap 20 so that if the attachment is disassembled the cap 20 may be removed to provide access to the coil 12 and terminal 14 for servicing. Within the tube 42 is a manual actuating stem 43 which can be actuated by way of a combination mechanism shown generally at 46 in FIGURES 2 to 5. This mechanism is actuatable by a numbered or graduated knob or dial 47 on stem 43.

The combination mechanism is a simplified one. knowing the combination may readily apply it and he is then able to push on the dial or button 47 to operate it in the manner of a plunger to actuate the stem 43 and switch 36.

The combination mechanism is in the form of a cylinder or cylindrical housing 56 having annular grooves 51, 52 and 53 in it. The cylindrical member has an axial slot as shown at 55 aligned with an axial slot 56 in the tube 42 which connects to the cylinder 50. Operating in the cylinder 50 are three discs 60, 61 and 62 each having an extending finger or projection 64, 65 and 66 which fingers can rotate in the annular grooves 51, 52 and 53 and when they are opposite the slots 55 and 56, can allow the discs tomove axially. At the periphery of disc is a finger 70. The disc 61 has similar fingers 71 and 72 on opposite sides of it and the disc 62 has a finger 74. The stem 43 has an end part which fits into a hole in the disc 60 for rotating that disc.

In the operation of the combination mechanism, the knob 47 is rotated so as to rotate disc 60 until its finger 76 picks up the finger 71 on disc 61 and until finger 72 on disc 61 picks up the finger 74 on disc 62 and then further, until a predetermined number on knob 47 is opposite the indicating pointer or index 80 at which number the projection 66 is aligned with the axial slots 55 and 56. Knob 47 is then rotated in the opposite direction until finger 70 picks up the other side of finger 71 on disc 61. Disc 61 is then rotated in the opposite direction until a predetermined number on knob 47 is opposite the marker or index 80 at which point the finger or projection is aligned with the axial slots 55 and 56. Knob 47 is now again rotated in the opposite direction, moving finger away from finger 71 until a pre-' determined number on knob 47 is opposite the index marker and which number projection 64 will be aligned with the axial slots 55 and 56. The knob 47 can now be pushed, all of the discs 60, 61 and 62 being able to slide axially so that the rod 43 may be pushed axially against the force of spring 82 whereby to actuate the switch 36 within the cap 20. As may be seen therefore, the operation requires three predetermined known settings of the knob 47 establishing a three number combination. The knob may be pushed in an amount as shown in FIGURE 3 so that disc 60 is aligned with annular groove 53. At this point the knob 47 may be turned slightly, just enough to disalign projection 64 with annular groove 56 so that the knob and stem will be held in the inward position with switch 36 closed. Release is simply by turning the knob to again align projection 64 with the axial slots.

One

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will observe that the invention realizes and satisfies the objectives stated. The attachment, including the cap 20, may be very easily manufactured and may be readily installed or fitted over the spark coil of existing equipment. It should be understood that the attachment may be made to fit over any terminal on any particular component to make that terminal inaccessible. The attachment has been shown as held in assembled relationship by a padlock. One having a key for the padlock could, of course, disassemble it and gain access to the terminal 14 and then either close switch 36 or jumper it. The attachment can, of course, be made with the cap 20 having internal spring clips which clip internally to the members 21 and 22 so that it could not be disassembled without destroying parts or without the use of tools. The manner of attachment and/ or assembly would be selected depending upon the ultimate degree of security desired. The connection 15 may extend either through a hole in the cap 20 or through a slot in it.

The tube 42 may be made strong enough so that it would require a hack saw or other similar tool to gain access to the interior of it and the actuating stem 43. The combination mechanism 46, while extremely simplified and dependable, is nevertheless one that is not readily subject to tampering. It cannot be operated without knowledge of the three number combination and can easily be made so that very considerable effort would be required with tools to destroy it sufilciently so that the stem 43 could be actuated without knowledge of the combination.

It is to be seen therefore, that the invention provides a relatively simple and inexpensive attachment for automobile ignition circuits providing a very high degree of theft proofing which cannot be defeated except by a very substantial degree of destructive effort on the part of the one doing the tampering. The herein disclosure with respect to automobile circuitry is illustrative since the invention may be adapted to any electrical terminal in any type of circuitry. The invention embraces the combination of elements, including the attachment over the spark coil terminal and the manual actuator requiring knowledge of a combination to operate as well as sub-combinations thereof. The complete combination includes the simplified combination actuator, since if the protective system merely requires the use of an additional key the degree of security is only slightly enhanced to the extent that the prospective thief needs to have 4 two keys instead of one, that is an ignition key and one for the protective system. The arrangement of the herein invention is non-jumperable, keyless and provides positive security.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with electrical mechanism having an electrical terminal which is normally exposed such that it is normally possible to make a jumpering connection to it, a safety appliance for preventing said normally exposed terminal from being jumpered, said safety appliance comprising an enclosure having a construction adapting it to be applied to said mechanism to form an enclosure for said normally exposed electrical terminal,.

said appliance having a part including securement means for securing it whereby to render the said terminal inaccessible to unauthorized persons, said enclosure carrying an external terminal, said enclosure having control means therewithin whereby to complete a circuit directly between the said first mentioned terminal and the external terminal on the enclosure and to interrupt said circuit, whereby electrical connection to the first mentioned terminal must now be made through the external terminal on the enclosure, whereby said first mentioned terminal is prevented from being jumpered, and said appliance embodying safety means for operating said control means of a type not readily susceptible to operation by unauthorized persons whereby such persons are prevented from completing a circuit through said first mentioned terminal.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the said enclosure includes a protective housing extending to a relatively remote point with said safety means located at said.

remote point.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein said safety means is in the form of a device requiring knowledge of a combination to operate it.

4. A device as in claim 2 wherein said safety means is in the form of a device requiring knowledge of a combination to operate it.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,956 Jeffries July 4, 1916 1,312,376 Williams Aug. 5, 1919 1,475,089 Summers Nov. 20, 1923 1,498,906 Bevill June 4, 1924 1,603,907 Cowan Oct. 19, 1926 1,774,098 Johnson Aug. 26, 1930 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH ELECTRICAL MECHANISM HAVING AN ELECTRICAL TERMINAL WHICH IS NORMALLY EXPOSED SUCH THAT IT IS NORMALLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE A JUMPERING CONNECTION TO IT, A SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR PREVENTING SAID NORMALLY EXPOSED TERMINAL FROM BEING JUMPERED, SAID SAFETY APPLIANCE COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE HAVING A CONSTRUCTION ADAPTING IT TO BE APPLIED TO SAID MECHANISM TO FORM AN ENCLOSURE FOR SAID NORMALLY EXPOSED ELECTRICAL TERMINAL, SAID APPLIANCE HAVING A PART INCLUDING SECUREMENT MEANS FOR SECURING IT WHEREBY TO RENDER THE SAID TERMINAL INACCESSIBLE TO UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS, SAID ENCLOSURE CARRYING AN EXTERNAL TERMINAL, SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING CONTROL MEANS THEREWITHIN WHEREBY TO COMPLETE A CIRCUIT DIRECTLY BETWEEN THE SAID FIRST MENTIONED TERMINAL AND THE EXTERNAL TERMINAL ON THE ENCLOSURE AND TO INTERRUPT SAID CIRCUIT, WHEREBY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO THE FIRST MENTIONED TERMINAL MUST NOW BE MADE THROUGH THE EXTERNAL TERMINAL ON THE ENCLOSURE, WHEREBY SAID FIRST MENTIONED TERMINAL IS PREVENTED FROM BEING JUMPERED, AND SAID APPLIANCE EMBODYING SAFETY MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID CONTROL MEANS OF A TYPE NOT READILY SUSCEPTIBLE TO OPERATION BY UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS WHEREBY SUCH PERSONS ARE PREVENTED FROM COMPLETING A CIRCUIT THROUGH SAID FIRST MENTIONED TERMINAL. 